Remarque: All qiet... question

[regentrude]

Just finished pre-reading Remarque's All quiet on the Western Front. I had vaguely entertained to notion of assigning this as reading to go with WWI.

I am having serious second thoughts.

On one hand, it is one of the greatest, most vivid descriptions of the horrors of war and part of me wants to make it mandatory reading for every human being - to counteract the abstraction and glorification of warfare.

On the other hand, it is so vivid and horrible that it can destroy one's faith in humanity. Does anybody need to have these images in his head?

 

So basically: I do not know whether a teen should read this book.

Is anybody assigning this for high schoolers, and how did that go?

 

ETA: I realize that the Iliad is full of graphic war violence, too, but somehow that is more abstract because it is so long ago. WWI- that was my great-grandfather's generation. Who was about the same age as the hero in the book, and whose grave has never been found. Maybe that's what makes it more real and pertinent.

[Harriet Vane]

I read roughly half and went ahead and assigned it to my teen for this semester. Once I have read the whole thing I may feel otherwise, or may choose to just excerpt. It is fairly well written, though, and gives a detailed, accurate look the war. It reminds me somewhat of the show MASH.

[Karen in CO]

Just try not to assign All Quiet, For Whom the Bell Tolls and Night in the same semester. That makes for a depressing study. My ds had to suffer through my poorly-planned historical linked assignments but went on to want a job in international relations so he can make a difference in the world. I think you should alternate something lighter and more positive with the heavier material and be very aware of the impact that the reading is having on your child.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Karen in CO

[snowbeltmom]

 

ETA: I realize that the Iliad is full of graphic war violence, too, but somehow that is more abstract because it is so long ago. WWI- that was my great-grandfather's generation. Who was about the same age as the hero in the book, and whose grave has never been found. Maybe that's what makes it more real and pertinent.

 

:grouphug:

 

That book is on my oldest's reading list for this year, among many other difficult novels. My children's great-grandmother lost her entire family in the Holocaust. I am not looking forward to covering WWII, but I think it is important that our kids be exposed to this history.

[dirty ethel rackham]

My oldest read it and I will have my middle son read it. Yes, it was depressing. However, it really cemented WWI in his mind. It seems to be the forgotten war because it solved nothing.

[MamaT]

Yes, I have had all my high schoolers read it. My 15yo will be reading it this year. If I had an overly sensitive child, I might rethink.

[Farmgirl70]

My boys read this book last school year with their guys' book club in conjunction with their study of WW1. They felt it was a profound, worthwhile book. I think that some reality about the horrors of war is a good thing for them, as it tends to be glorified or de-personalized in our culture. The book club had a fabulous discussion. I'm glad we read it. FWIW, my boys are 15 and 17. I might feel differently if they were 13 or 14.

[KathyBC]

Our grade 8 class read this, away back when. I didn't feel traumatized. I had planned to assign it to my oldest in grade 11 - when it fit into our history studies, not because of any worries about content - however he's in ps now.

[ShannonS]

On a personal note, that is one of my favorite books of all time. I found the story poignant and stunning.

 

I would definitely assign this. I think the novel is a beautiful critique of the romantic rhetoric of war and honor, and still quite relevant. We can't ignore our darker side. However, did Remarque compromise and stretch too much to make this statement? I look forward to discussing this one when mine are teens.

 

Yes Paul had his hope almost completely destroyed, but that does not mean the reader will. I ask: What can we learn from this? The answers are not always clear, and that in itself is a wonderful lesson.

[creekland]

Our high school has everyone read that book in 9th grade in English class. I think it's a good choice. War is one of the most depressing things humans do on this planet IMO and if the book can make it real, it's a good image for adolescents to have instead of slogans and other glorified images. War may be necessary at times to remove horrid dictators or similar, but anyone should think long and hard about it. We don't need as many wars as this planet has.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ds had no trouble reading this in 8th grade. He says it was one of his favorite books.

[Jane in NC]

My son read this in 8th grade. Afterward we watched the 1930 film version which is quite remarkable for the time period. I too place this on the list of books that all teens should read--particularly for kids growing up in a Hollywood/video game culture that seems to glorify violence.

[cbhrbooth]

Just finished pre-reading Remarque's All quiet on the Western Front. I had vaguely entertained to notion of assigning this as reading to go with WWI.

I am having serious second thoughts.

On one hand, it is one of the greatest, most vivid descriptions of the horrors of war and part of me wants to make it mandatory reading for every human being - to counteract the abstraction and glorification of warfare.

On the other hand, it is so vivid and horrible that it can destroy one's faith in humanity. Does anybody need to have these images in his head?

 

So basically: I do not know whether a teen should read this book.

Is anybody assigning this for high schoolers, and how did that go?

 

ETA: I realize that the Iliad is full of graphic war violence, too, but somehow that is more abstract because it is so long ago. WWI- that was my great-grandfather's generation. Who was about the same age as the hero in the book, and whose grave has never been found. Maybe that's what makes it more real and pertinent.

 

All Quiet is an important work to read, but I believe it also requires a lot of outside-the-book discussion (about the author; nihilism; post-war patriotism, to name a few topics.)

 

It a critical to see this piece of history unfolding, and lining up as a "perfect storm" for WWII, and AQOWF captures that anger and betrayal so well, but it can also be such a dark place to go with the author. (This is the fertile ground when Darwin's ideas of the survival of the fittest; socialism; communism; etc. were really starting to bud.)

 

I honestly think it's an important book that is better grasped, and dealt with, by mature teens and young adults. Guess it depends on your kiddo's temperament.

[Moira in MA]

I assigned this to my dd in 12th grade last year. It was a *very* powerful read and she is glad that she read it. However, it was hard as Paul was her own age and just on the cusp of moving from his family to the world -- that seemed to hit her very strongly.

 

Although it can be assigned for late middle/early high school, I think its impact is unlikely to be felt in such a visceral way.

 

jmho

~Moira

[elegantlion]

I haven't read it yet, but I've struggled with the concepts in a few other books. So, I just have a few thoughts.

 

- in the US WWI is more abstract than WWII, for the average person. For many of us, WWI was a week of history class, a note in genealogy search of a great-great grandparent (or further), or, at least for me, it's not generally as well understood. We know about trench warfare and a few other random facts. That's it. There's a WWI memorial in Kansas City. I grew up in KC. For many years we'd take field trips to the art museum, the zoo, all kinds of places. We never went to the WWI Museum, not even in high school history, and I took lots of history classes.

 

Obviously, for you, it hits closer to home. If I were you, I'd read with lots of conversation. If you're concerned by the loss of humanity, then show how humanity in the face of bad situations plays out in your family. I'm sure you've modeled that more than you realize. Then discuss some more. Then take your family for a hike, maybe the leaves left on the trees will turn, and show them the beauty of this world. Siting in nature reminds of me of why people continue even after all humanity seems lost.

 

This is my favorite line from Lattimore's Iliad:

 

"As is the generation of leaves, so is that of humanity. The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the live timber burgeons with leaves again in the season of spring returning. So one generation of men will grow while another dies."

VI. 146-150

 

We are but one generation of leaves. I believe it is important to see what those before us went through. I also believe it is vital that we show our children what not giving up on humanity looks like in real life (still working on that one myself).

[flyingiguana]

I have to admit that it's a book that I'm still trying to get through. It's a very difficult read for me. I think you have to make a decision based on the student. Some people are more sensitive than others. And perhaps those who are more sensitive don't have as much need to read it. They already understand what the book is getting at.

 

OTOH, if anyone in your family is watching Downton Abbey then maybe All Quiet is more important to read. Downton Abbey does a fairly nice job of making WWI look like a seaside vacation. I know they think they're making an effort to show the horror of war, but given that their main character can just pop home for dinner whenever he's needed in the plot, and that he gets over his injuries by just waiting out a few episodes makes the whole thing seem like a game. (Upstairs, Downstairs -- the show Downton Abbey is mostly copied from -- actually did a better job of dealing with the war.)

 

All Quiet on the Western Front, by the way, didn't remind me of the TV MASH at all. MASH is comedy first, with some dark bits thrown in.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Just finished pre-reading Remarque's All quiet on the Western Front. I had vaguely entertained to notion of assigning this as reading to go with WWI.

I am having serious second thoughts.

On one hand, it is one of the greatest, most vivid descriptions of the horrors of war and part of me wants to make it mandatory reading for every human being - to counteract the abstraction and glorification of warfare.

On the other hand, it is so vivid and horrible that it can destroy one's faith in humanity. Does anybody need to have these images in his head?

 

So basically: I do not know whether a teen should read this book.

Is anybody assigning this for high schoolers, and how did that go?

 

ETA: I realize that the Iliad is full of graphic war violence, too, but somehow that is more abstract because it is so long ago. WWI- that was my great-grandfather's generation. Who was about the same age as the hero in the book, and whose grave has never been found. Maybe that's what makes it more real and pertinent.

 

I think that I understand where you are coming from with WWI. It's not just an abstract event in the past. For you it's a matter of family tragedy as well as a factor in contributing to a major event in national history. I remember that every little town in Germany seemed to have its WWI monument. Churches still had Ahnentafel with names or photos of the WWI soldiers and/or casulties from the parish.

 

All Quiet can be a seering book. That was quite intentional. Remarque meant to be brutal; meant to make the teacher back home seem like a jingoistic idealistic fool sending boys off to death. But it also begs the question, "Is all war therefore bad?" Is there really a "just war"? Are some causes worth fighting for, not just in defense of homeland but in preemption? Or is warfare simply evil justified by politicians? I think this is a pretty major concept to start working through. (BTW, Some Desperate Glory by Vaughn is a pretty vivid diary kept by a British officer during the war.)

 

WWI did so much to influence art and literature and the whole worldview of a generation (perhaps even 2-3 generations). How many monarchies toppled in its wake? How many new -isms found traction in the rubble (communism, fascism, but also feminsim and internationalism)? You see ripples of WW1 in Hemingway, Sayers, Tolkien and others.

 

FWIW, the artist Kathe Kollwitz might be good to study along side the book.

[TippyCanoe]

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